A 57-year-old Longview woman died in a motorcycle accident on Washington Highway 14 Sunday evening.  According to the Washington State Patrol, the motorcycle was traveling westbound on Highway 14 near milepost 24 when it went off the roadway to the right and struck an embankment. The motorcycle came to rest in the westbound lane.  The driver was taken to Peacehealth Southwest Washington Hospital in Vancouver, where she was pronounced deceased.  Her name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.  The accident occurred just after 7:30 Sunday night.

The Port of Hood River says bridge engineers and inspection crews will be on the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate bridge Tuesday through Thursday to conduct the Oregon Department of Transportation required biennial bridge inspections.   Flaggers will be on the bridge directing traffic around the moving work zone starting at 6:30 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. all three days.   Motorists should expect delays of approximately 20 minutes during these hours, depending on traffic volume.  For more information, contact the Port via email to porthr@gorge.net.

Mid-Columbia Community Action and Washington Gorge Action Programs will be have cooling shelters open this coming week from Monday through Friday due to the expected high temperatures.  In Hood River County the shelter will be at the Hood River Alliance Church on 2650 Montello…while in Wasco County it will be located at St. Vincent dePaul at 315 West 3rd in The Dalles.  Shelters in Klickitat County will be at Father’s House Fellowship on 207 South Klickitat Avenue in Goldendale and the White Salmon Fire Hall on 119 NE Church Avenue.  WAGAP will also have a Skamania County shelter adjacent to the Hegewald Center on 710 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson.  In all cases, shelters will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.  In Sherman County, Mid-Columbia Community Action advises people to call 541-565-3100 for information on cooling resources near you.

North Wasco County School District 21 has hired Dr. Lauren Merklin as the new Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment.  Merklin, who holds both a masters and doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Administration brings an extensive background in leadership, professional development, and school strategy to the role.  Since 2015, Merklin has been a consultant, contracting with schools across the nation, focusing on strategic development, vision planning, and the development of education models to facilitate student success.  Merklin says she considers herself a “data-informed strategist.”  As Director of Teaching, Learning and Assessment, Merklin will be tasked with the development, implementation, and evaluation of D21’s K-12 curriculum, staff development and assessment, school improvement initiatives, and federal grants oversight.

Work is about to start on the second phase of the Neal Creek Instream Habitat Restoration Project to restore native fish habitat.  The Hood River Watershed Group says this phase of the project will restore habitat diversity and quantity on a ¾ mile stretch of the creek, particularly spawning and juvenile rearing habitat.   This project aims to restore the ecological processes of the Neal Creek Watershed through 640 feet of side channel and floodplain reconnection, the excavation of two off-channel alcoves for juvenile fish, 11 log jams, pool enhancement, and native riparian revegetation.  The Watershed Group has worked with nine private landowners to allow for the implementation of this project on their land, and has partnered with the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, which has provided extensive funding for the design and the construction of the project.  Other funding comes from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, U.S. Forest Service, and Bonneville Environmental Foundation Tree Credits.

North Central Public Health District has iHealth COVID-19 test kits available to agencies and the public, and will distribute them on a drive-up basis.  Each at-home test kit contains two tests.  Drive-up distribution is being offered one hour per day the week of July 25-29, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. all five days.  Just pull up to the Annex C building after entering the parking lot at 419 E. 7th St. and someone will bring you a couple of boxes of self-tests.  If you would like at-home test kits, but can’t make it to the drive-up times listed above, please call 541-506-2600 to schedule an alternate pick-up time.

The Hood River Police Department says with the increasing use of electric bicycles on public roadways, they are issuing a reminder that youth under the age of 16 cannot legally operate an e-bike.  An electric bicycle is equipped with an electric motor integrated into the frame and wheel.  It cannot exceed 1,000 watts and is designed to not exceed 20 miles per hour.  E-bikes are considered a bicycle under the Oregon Vehicle Code.  Hood River Police say they are allowed on roadways, lanes, or paths that bicycles are permitted to use.  E-bikes are not permitted on sidewalks.  Hood River Police are encouraging parents to review e-bike laws before purchasing one for a child.      

Wasco County Commissioners approved an outdoor mass gathering permit for the Canyon Vibration art and music festival planned for September 9th to 11th at Justesen Ranch in Tygh Valley.  The event is expected to draw 700 people.  Wasco County Associate Planner Sean Bailey told the Commission they received no responses on the application from nearby landowners.  The only significant point of discussion was around volume levels, but Sheriff Lane Magill says he worked with festival organizers on that issue.  Magill said organizers will take readings at midnight at the junction of Davidson and Tygh Valley roads and keep the decibel level at 60 or less.

The Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency Board has decided to recommend to The Dalles City Council to return a $1.6 million federal grant issued ten years ago for the First Street Streetscape project because it can be finished quicker and for less money without it.  Board members heard a report from Travis Kruger from consultant HDR.  Kruger said the complexities of using the federal grant would add two-to-three years to the project with an estimated cost to the City of $5.1 million, while proceeding without it would only cost $4.3 million.  The Council will receive the recommendation at a September meeting.  The project would reconstruct First Street between Union and Laughlin.

Wasco County and Home At Last Humane Society officials will talk about options for public funding of some of the animal shelter’s services, but the road to get there may be difficult.  Home At Last board president Paul Viemeister and development director Erin Foote Morgan spoke to the County Commission during Wednesday’s public comment period, with Viemeister saying there needs to be more than the current five percent funding from public sources and more collaboration from the County and the City of The Dalles.  But Commissioner Steve Kramer and County Administrative Officer Tyler Stone pointed out that the County has provided the shelter building on River Road, and Kramer noted a tax levy measure could impact other special districts through property tax compression.  Commission Chair Kathy Schwartz asked for a meeting to be set up between County officials and Home At Last.